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Neighborhood briefs

The Portland Water Bureau is in the middle of a two-week test that will inconvenience residences and businesses in some Southwest neighborhoods.

Maintenance crews are temporarily shutting down the Fulton Pump Station to help determine how to best continue providing water in its service area when the aging facility is replaced in the future.

The area most likely to be affected is in the vicinity of Wilson High School and such major Southwest streets as Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway, Capitol Highway, 18th Avenue and Vermont Street.

Although service will not be interrupted, the work will cause water flows to reverse in some pipes, possibly stirring sediments and creating cloudy-looking water. If that happens, people are advised to allow water to run until it clears.

Also, as part of the test, the bureau will operate a pumper truck during working hours Wednesday and Thursday at the Cooper Pump Station near Southwest Bertha Boulevard and Capitol Highway. There will be some noise in the immediate area from the truck.

NORTHWEST

Singer sews up parking

Parking finally is being put in place behind Papa Haydn restaurant on Northwest 23rd Avenue, but not in the form of a garage.

A vacant, single-story office building that sat behind Papa Haydn on Northwest Irving Street was demolished last week by developer Richard Singer.

Singer said he is building a surface parking lot that will hold between 15 and 20 cars on the site. He expects it to open in the spring.

The site is part of a larger parcel on which Singer has hoped to build a multistory parking garage. The neighborhood association has opposed the garage.

John Bradley, chairman of the planning committee of the Northwest District Association, said that Singer had sent a letter to the neighborhood association stating his intention to build a surface parking lot on the site and that the neighborhood association had approved a parking lot design for the space a number of years ago.

NORTH

City Hall goes to school

Jefferson High School will be at the center of city government this week as City Hall moves to its campus, at 5210 N. Kerby Ave.

Students will showcase their talents; the City Council and Portland Public Schools will hold meetings there; and more than 100 city officials, including Jefferson grads, will descend on the school for career day.

Mayor Tom Potter also will deliver his State of the City address on Friday from the school.

On Thursday, parents' night, Jefferson students and staff members will offer free child care from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. to allow parents and others in the community to take part in the open house.

There will be face-painting, storytelling, puppets, music and games for young children.

'We're just trying to get some of the young families to walk in the building,' said Nancy Smith, president of Jefferson's Parent Teacher Student Association.

NORTHEAST

She's got spirit

A Madison High School senior recently was recognized with a prestigious Spirit of Portland award for her volunteer work last summer at Northeast Portland's Glenhaven Park.

Jamie Mayfield was among 21 citizens and organizations honored at a Dec. 13 City Hall ceremony for their exceptional contributions to the community in 2007.

She volunteered with the Roseway Heights SUN Community School program, operated by Portland Parks and Recreation, devoting a total of 112 hours leading activities for children throughout the summer.

She served free lunches, led water games and art lessons, and showed up nearly every day.

Because of her work, she was offered a part-time position with the parks bureau at the end of the summer.

EAST

Mentors sought at IRCO

The Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization has collaborated with the David Douglas School District, just east of 102nd Avenue, to create the David Douglas mentoring project.

The goal of the project is to provide east county students with educational, behavioral and cultural needs in grades four through eight with adult mentors for academic and emotional support.

The school district seeks volunteer mentors in the Portland area who are able to meet with students for at least one hour every week.

This is a yearlong commitment, requiring a background check prior to acceptance.

To apply to become a volunteer mentor, contact coordinator Juliya Glizin at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or 503-234-1541.

SOUTHEAST

Make sweaters full again

Have you ever shrunk a favorite wool sweater in the laundry and didn't have the heart to throw it away?

Multnomah County Library is hosting an adult class on sweater recycling, using wool sweaters that have shrunk in the wash by way of a process called 'fulling.'

Various craft items will be created from fulled sweaters from 6 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. Jan. 23 at the Holgate Library.

The library will provide the sweaters for the class; teen classes also are being offered at other locations throughout Portland and Gresham.

Register for the class at multcolib.org/events or call the Holgate Library, 503-988-5389. The library is at 7905 S.E. Holgate Blvd.